The dawn broke like a blade slicing through clouds.
Crimson and gold painted the heavens as Xiao Wang descended the misty mountain path, his robes fluttering in the morning wind.
Behind him, the Devouring Sword pulsed faintly, each heartbeat echoing with Heris's silent presence.
[System Quest: "The Devourer's Second Trial — Soul Hunt Begins."]
[Objective: Locate and devour the Fallen Beast of the Moon-Scar Ravine within three days.]
[Reward: Unknown.]
The words lingered in his mind, cold and divine.
Heris's voice followed soon after, calm as still water.
"Three days, Xiao Wang. Fail, and the system's synchronization will collapse."
He frowned. "Collapse?"
"Your mortal body cannot yet contain the full resonance of my essence. The trial sustains that balance. Without it…"
The wind grew cold.
"…your veins will shatter from the inside out."
He chuckled faintly, though sweat dotted his brow.
"Wonderful. My first quest, and death's already waiting with a chair and tea."
"You should be honored. Not many die so elegantly."
Her tone was serious, but Xiao Wang could feel the faintest trace of amusement.
"Oh, she's learning sarcasm now," the other voice — his second self — broke in, teasing. "Careful, Wang, she might out-charm you soon."
"Stay quiet, pervert," he muttered.
"What? I just said charm. You're the one thinking weird."
"Both of you, quiet."
"Make me."
"Make him."
He exhaled sharply. "I'm walking into a death trial with a smart-mouthed sword and a lunatic split personality. Heaven, what did I do wrong in my past life?"
"You devoured it."
"…Right."
By noon, he reached the borders of the Moon-Scar Ravine.
A vast gorge split the landscape — black cliffs bleeding mist, with rivers of silver fog flowing between jagged stones.
Strange blue fireflies floated in the air, giving the entire valley an ethereal glow.
At the edge, a stone tablet stood cracked and ancient, inscribed with runes that glimmered faintly.
"Fallen Realm — Step forth only if you've tasted death."
Xiao Wang placed his hand on the stone, feeling the faint hum of energy beneath it.
"This place… it's alive."
"It's cursed," Heris replied softly."
The Fallen Beasts are remnants of ancient cultivators who failed ascension. Their Qi turned monstrous, their souls bound to this ravine."
He smirked. "So I'm about to pick a fight with dead cultivators. Great."
"Not dead. Angry."
"Even better."
He stepped inside.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the air shifted — thick, heavy, oppressive.
His senses sharpened; his skin prickled as if unseen eyes were watching from every direction.
[Host entering Domain: Moon-Scar Ravine.]
[Environmental Anomaly Detected: Soul Pressure x4 | Visibility reduced 70%.]
He drew his sword. The faint hum of the blade echoed like a whisper.
"Stay alert," Heris warned."
The Fallen Beast does not sleep. It watches."
Then, silence.
He walked deeper. Every step echoed too loud. Every shadow seemed too long.
At the heart of the ravine, the air shimmered — a lake of black water reflecting a crimson moon.
Even though it was midday, the sky here bent, twisted — red clouds floating over the reflection.
"Heris…" he whispered. "What is this place really?"
"A fracture between realms. A prison born from Heaven's pity. Those who tried to ascend but failed were cast here — neither alive nor dead."
"And I have to kill one?"
"Devour one."
He rolled his eyes. "Right. So much better."
The water rippled.
He froze.
Then — silence shattered.
A monstrous hand burst from the lake, dragging a massive body behind it — ten meters tall, armored in black scales that gleamed like molten glass.
Its face was vaguely human, but twisted, jaw unhinged, eyes glowing with blue fire.
[Target Identified: Fallen Beast (Rank: Spirit-Devourer Tier)]
[Estimated Strength: Early Earth Realm.]
[Warning: Host Power Level insufficient for direct confrontation.]
"Insufficient my ass." He grinned. "Let's see what the devourer says about that."
He raised the sword. The crimson veins along his arm began to glow.
The beast roared, the sound shaking the ravine — then charged.
The impact was a thunderclap. Stone shattered, waves exploded, and Xiao Wang was sent flying into a cliffside.
Blood dripped from his lips, but his grin remained."Heris, I hope you're not planning to watch quietly."
"Show me your intent, and I will lend you mine."
He took a deep breath — and closed his eyes.
The other voice chuckled darkly.
"My turn?"
"Don't go crazy."
"No promises."
His aura erupted.
Crimson flames burst from his body, devouring the air itself. His pupils split, turning into a blood-red pattern — half-moon and sword mark combined.
[Soul Authority: Second Resonance Active.]
[Host Power temporarily elevated to Mid-Earth Realm.]
He vanished.
A red blur flashed across the ravine, cutting through mist and sound alike.
CLANG!
The sword met the beast's claws — sparks exploding into crimson arcs.
The beast howled, swiping again, but Xiao Wang ducked, dragging his blade upward, slicing a deep gash across its chest. Black ichor sprayed.
[Essence Detected: Fallen Qi.]
[Devour Mode: Active.]
He thrust the sword into the wound — and the world trembled.
Crimson energy spiraled, sucking the beast's black Qi into the sword like a vortex.
The Devouring Sword screamed with joy — Heris's voice layered within it, fierce and divine.
"Yes… consume it! Break its will!"
But the beast fought back, its claws burning with azure fire.
It slammed into him, sending him sprawling backward. The sword slipped from his hand, embedding itself into the earth.
Pain lanced through his chest.
He coughed blood, trembling.
[Vitality: 23%. Warning — critical state.]
He tried to move, but the beast loomed closer, shadows enveloping him.
"Pathetic," the darker voice muttered.
"You call yourself the Devourer?"
Xiao Wang groaned. "Not… now…"
"You're weak because you hesitate. You're scared to let go."
"I'm not scared—"
"Then prove it."
The voice erupted inside him like a storm.
Crimson symbols flared on his skin — ancient, glowing runes wrapping around his body.
The sword lifted on its own, screaming as if possessed.
The beast lunged.
And Xiao Wang vanished in light.
The next moment, the world split in two.
A single arc of crimson light tore through the air, cleaving the beast — and the lake — in half.
The sky turned blood-red. Thunder rolled.
The beast's roar faded into silence as its body dissolved into mist, leaving behind a single glowing orb.
[Target Neutralized.]
[Fallen Qi Absorbed: 78%.]
[New Trait Acquired: "Soul Devourer's Eyes."]
[Reward: Celestial Fragment — Tier 1.]
He fell to his knees, panting.
Heris's voice returned — gentle this time.
"You did well, Xiao Wang."
He laughed weakly. "I… almost died."
"You did die."
"…Great."
The other voice snorted.
"You're welcome, by the way."
"I didn't ask for help."
"You never do. That's why I show up."
Heris interrupted softly.
"You both must learn balance. Light and darkness, sanity and madness — both feed the same blade."
He glanced at the sword, the faint glow pulsing steadily.
A warmth filled his chest — power, alive and terrifying.
[Quest Complete.]
[Synchronization Level: 43% → 71%.]
[Next Quest Unlocked: "The Blood Sect's Invitation."]
"The Blood Sect…" he muttered.
"They are watching," Heris warned.
"Your display of power did not go unnoticed."
He sighed. "Of course. Can't even kill a monster in peace."
"Look at the bright side," the other voice chuckled. "Maybe one of them's pretty."
"Shut up."
"You like it when I talk."
"I'll seal you in a jar."
"Promises, promises."
As he stood, wind stirred the mist — revealing distant figures on a cliff.
Red-robed cultivators with golden emblems: the Blood Valley Sect.
At their center, a woman stood — tall, serene, her long black hair fluttering like ink in wind. Her eyes, golden and cold, locked onto Xiao Wang with quiet curiosity.
He met her gaze — and felt something stir deep within his soul.
"That one," Heris whispered, her tone suddenly guarded. "Be careful."
"Why?"
"She carries the scent of Heaven's curse."
The woman smiled faintly. Then she turned, her cloak fluttering like blood in sunlight, and vanished with her entourage.
[System Notification: Quest Chain Unlocked — "The Blood Sect's Challenge."]
Xiao Wang sheathed his sword. The reflection of the blood moon shimmered faintly across his blade.
"Then that's where I'm headed next."
"Revenge?" Heris asked.
He smiled thinly. "Opportunity."
The darker voice laughed inside him.
"And maybe a beauty or two."
Heris sighed.
"Men."
"Shut up, both of you."